Re: [xsl] XSLT 2.0 Decimal number silliness

[Jeff Kenton <jkenton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Kay wrote:
> If there's a better way of specifying it, then I'd be interested in your
> suggestions.
>
> The spec leaves it implementation-defined.

I know.  I think that's a mistake, especially since numeric constants that used to be doubles (e.g., 1.5) are now decimal by default.

> Saxon produces a result with 18+N+M digits where N and M are the number of
> digits in the operands. I'd be very happy to implement a better rule if I
> could think of one.

Two possibilities.  One is to allow some way to specify default number of fraction digits in the absence of a schema.  Another is to implement a fixed precision and document it.  I have chosen to implement 18 integer digits plus 18 fraction digits.  I believe this is legitimate according to the spec (tell me if I'm wrong), and it's a whole lot easier to explain to users.  Plus, you get exactly the same answers no matter how you calculate two-thirds in my examples below.

--jeff

> # -----Original Message-----
> # From: Jeff Kenton [mailto:jkenton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> # Sent: 25 March 2004 16:53
> # To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> # Subject: [xsl] XSLT 2.0 Decimal number silliness
> # 
> # 
> # I've been looking at XSLT 2.0 decimal numbers (again), and I 
> # still think the WC needs to do better.
> # 
> # Consider the following stylesheet:
> # 
> # <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
> # <xsl:stylesheet 
> # xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"; version="2.0" >
> # 
> # <xsl:template match="/">~
> # <xsl:value-of select="2.0 div 3.0" />~
> # <xsl:value-of select="0.444 div 0.666" />~ </xsl:template>
> # 
> # </xsl:stylesheet>
> # 
> # Using Saxon 7.x, this results in:
> # 
> # <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>~
> # 0.666666666666666667~
> # 0.666666666666666666666667~
> # 
> # Both lines of output should be equal.  There's got to be 
> # something better.  At least allow specification of number of 
> # fraction digits.
> # 
> # --jeff
> # 
> # 
> # 
> #